The parable of the prodigal. Containing, The riotous prodigal, or The sinners aversion from…

For this my Son was dead, and is alive again.

These words do hold forth a pithy description of a sinners conversion; that is, a passage from death to life; or a mutation from a dead condition, into a living condition; the estate of sin is a dead estate, yea, a deadly estate; and the state of Grace, is a living estate, yea, a lively estate. There any many Doctrinal Propositions, which are couched in these words: As 1. That an impenitent, or unconverted man, is a dead man: [This my Son was dead] 2. That when a sinner is converted, he is then made a live: [And is alive] 3. That God doth sometimes convert a very great and notorious sinner: [This, this my Son] 4. That great afflictions are sometimes the means of a great sinners Conversion: [This my Son was] 5. That there is an almighty power, required to convert or change a sinner [As much as to make a dead man to live.] 6. That true Conversion is a very great and conspicuous alteration: (No change is like that from death to life.) 7. That true Conversion is an inward, or a soul-alteration; not of clothes, or painting: (It is the putting of life into a dead man.) 8. That a sinner contributes nothing at all towards his Conversion, but Conversion of a sinner, is the sole work of a God; (for it is God only, who can quicken the dead, no dead man can make himself alive.) 9. That the Lord takes notice of every condition of man (of the Prodigals former condition, he was dead, and of his present condition, but he is alive again.) 10. That the Lord doth own every converted person, as a Father owns a Son: [This my Son.]

These words do hold forth a pithy description of a sinners conversion; that is, a passage from death to life; or a mutation from a dead condition, into a living condition; the estate of sin is a dead estate, yea, a deadly estate; and the state of Grace, is a living estate, yea, a lively estate. There any many Doctrinal Propositions, which are couched in these words: As 1. That an impenitent, or unconverted man, is a dead man: [This my Son was dead] 2. That when a sinner is converted, he is then made a live: [And is alive] 3. That God doth sometimes convert a very great and notorious sinner: [This, this my Son] 4. That great afflictions are sometimes the means of a great sinners Conversion: [This my Son was] 5. That there is an almighty power, required to convert or change a sinner [As much as to make a dead man to live.] 6. That true Conversion is a very great and conspicuous alteration: (No change is like that from death to life.) 7. That true Conversion is an inward, or a soul-alteration; not of cloaths, or painting: (It is the putting of life into a dead man.) 8. That a sinner contributes nothing at all towards his Conversion, but Conversion of a sinner, is the sole work of a God; (for it is God only, who can quicken the dead, no dead man can make himself alive.) 9. That the Lord takes notice of every condition of man (of the Prodigals former condition, he was dead, and of his present condition, but he is alive again.) 10. That the Lord doth own every converted person, as a Father owns a Son: [This my Son.]